Skoda Rapid Owner's Manual page 76

It is also essential to thoroughly clean the underside of the vehicle at the end
of the winter.
Washing by hand
Wash the vehicle from top to bottom, with a soft sponge or a wash mitt and
plenty of water, and, if necessary, with the appropriate detergents. Wash out
the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.
For wheels, door sills and lower areas of the vehicle use a different sponge.
Give the vehicle a good rinse after washing it and dry it off using a chamois
leather.
Automatic washing systems
Before washing the vehicle, the usual precautions (e.g. closing windows) must
be observed.
If your vehicle is fitted with any particular attached parts (e.g. spoiler, roof rack
system, aerial etc.) it is best to consult the operator of the car wash system be-
forehand.
After an automatic wash with wax treatment, the wiper blades should be
cleaned with cleaning agents specially designed for the purpose, and then de-
greased.
Pressure washers
When washing the vehicle with a high-pressure cleaner, the instructions for
use of the equipment must be observed. This particularly applies to instruc-
tions regarding the pressure and spraying distance from the vehicle surface.
Maintain a sufficiently large spraying distance to the parking aid sensors and
soft materials such as rubber hoses or insulation
WARNING
When washing your vehicle in the winter: Water and ice in the braking
■
system can affect the braking efficiency – risk of accident!
Take care when cleaning the underbody or the inside of the wheel wells -
■
there is a risk of injury from sharp metal parts!
74
General Maintenance
material» .
CAUTION
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight, do not exert pressure on the body
■
while washing. The temperature of the washing water should be no more than
60 °C max. - otherwise there is a risk of damaging the vehicle paint.
Before driving through a car wash, fold in the exterior mirrors - There is a risk
■
of damage.
For vehicles with roof antenna the antenna rod should be unscrewed before
■
driving through a car wash - Otherwise there is a risk of damage.
CAUTION
Washing the vehicle with high-pressure cleaners
Films should not be washed with any high-pressure cleaners -There is a risk
■
of damage.
Do not aim the water jet directly at the lock cylinders or the door or opening
■
joints when washing the vehicle in the winter – there is a risk of freezing.
The sensors of the parking aid can be sprayed only for a short time and there
■
must be a minimum distance of 10 cm - there is a risk of damage.
Exterior vehicle care

Read and observe and
Vehicle compo-
Circumstances
nents
Spilled fuel
No water drop-
lets form on the
Paint
paint
Paint has gone
matt
Plastic parts Soiling
Chrome
and anodised Soiling
parts
Films Soiling
on page 73 first.
Remedy
Clear water, cloth, (clean as soon as
possible)
Use hard wax preserve (at least twice a
year), apply wax to clean and dry body
Use polish, then wax (if the polish does
not contain any preservative ingredi-
ents)
Clear water, cloth / sponge, cleaning
agents provided for this purpose where
appropriate
clear water, cloth, cleaning agents pro-
vided for this purpose where appropri-
ate, clean then polish with a soft dry
cloth
Soft sponge and mild soap solution
a) 